I grew up visiting the Smithsonian Museums in Washington, DC for FREE, every day of the week! I was surprised to learn that other museums actually have a cost for entry. Fortunately, for everyone living outside of Washington, DC, there is the National Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day where participating museums will allow free entry. Tickets must be reserved and are allocated at one per household for two individuals at most. Check their site for a list of participating museums. It looks as though all of the major locations in Charlotte are participating. Enjoy!

Where: All over

Why participate: You may have always wanted to visit a particular museum and found yourself avoiding the entry fee.